OfferBackedBuyer Tools
Step 1 · Thinking about buying

Where are towns like the one I love?

Enter a town you like, or the one you’re leaving, and find the places most like it: similar incomes, home prices, commute, age of homes and more. Look nearby, in other states or only where homes cost less.

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Towns most like Bancroft, WI 54921

Bancroft: median income $76,164, home value $176,000, $244/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Badger, MN 56714 96%439$70,962$157,100— Very close on everything we compare
Newfolden, MN 56738 95%423$71,250$187,200— Very close on everything we compare
Bellwood, NE 68624 95%442$69,167$195,000$218 Very close on everything we compare
Norwich, OH 43767 93%495$75,580$175,500$203 Very close on everything we compare
Pomona, KS 66076 93%498$73,945$187,900$173 larger
Guys Mills, PA 16327 92%517$76,146$156,400$192 larger
New Zion, SC 29111 92%886$76,250$125,500— cheaper homes ($51K less)
Indiahoma, OK 73552 92%829$85,500$152,900— Very close on everything we compare
Woodlawn, VA 24381 91%689$65,109$160,500$197 larger
Pomaria, SC 29126 91%814$73,702$195,200$211 larger
Bowersville, GA 30516 91%767$77,818$189,600$203 Very close on everything we compare
Merigold, MS 38759 91%726$77,083$143,400— cheaper homes ($33K less)
Creston, OH 44217 91%450$73,603$199,200$186 larger
Holland, IN 47541 91%438$78,409$156,800— younger residents
Pewamo, MI 48873 91%251$86,250$195,300$174 Very close on everything we compare
Climax, MI 49034 91%255$73,929$213,600$180 pricier homes ($38K more)
Custer, MI 49405 91%168$70,139$170,200$197 Very close on everything we compare
Solway, MN 56678 91%350$73,194$202,500$243 pricier homes ($27K more) · 6 min longer commute
Broadus, MT 59317 91%773$71,250$197,400— Very close on everything we compare
Munnsville, NY 13409 90%702$72,333$137,300— cheaper homes ($39K less)
Georgetown, PA 15043 90%528$87,672$234,700$198 pricier homes ($59K more) · larger
Jefferson, PA 15344 90%572$73,886$154,300$317 6 min longer commute
Willards, MD 21874 90%839$78,393$236,700$306 pricier homes ($61K more)
Lost Creek, WV 26385 90%590$82,625$165,800$192 larger
Hanoverton, OH 44423 90%502$80,583$177,700$196 Very close on everything we compare

Similarity compares income, home value, price per sq ft, population, age, commute, education, walkability, owner share, single-family share and age of homes. Click a town to see its housing market. Set your own criteria with the town finder.

Finding towns like the one you love

Maybe you grew up somewhere you loved and want something like it closer to a new job. Maybe the town you want is out of reach and you’re looking for a cheaper version of it. Or you’re moving across the country and want to know which places will feel familiar. This tool starts from a town you know and finds the places most like it.

How we measure similarity

We compare eleven things for every ZIP code: median household income, median home value, price per square foot from recent sales, population, median age, average commute, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree, walkability, the share of homes that are owner-occupied, the share that are single-family homes, and the median year homes were built. Income and home values count most, because they shape what a place costs and feels like day to day.

Each trait is put on the same scale, so a $50,000 difference in home value and a five-minute difference in commute can be compared fairly. The result is a similarity score: towns in the 90s are close matches on nearly everything, and scores in the 70s are similar with a few clear differences. For each match we list the biggest differences, like cheaper homes, a longer commute or more single-family homes.

Where to look

  • Anywhere shows the closest matches nationwide.
  • Same state or other states keeps the search where you need it.
  • Within a distance finds alternatives near a town you’re priced out of.
  • At least a distance away finds the same kind of place somewhere new.

Tick “only towns where homes cost less” to find more affordable versions of the place you like.

What it can’t tell you

Numbers can’t capture everything that makes a place feel like home: a walkable downtown, the schools, the views or the people. Use the matches as a short list, then visit. Click any town to see its housing market, including how competitive it is and how fast homes are selling.